Echoes of Silence
by Golden Vampire Eyes
Summary: Bella's life has never been simple; vampires and wolves filling up her entire world. After Edward leaves, this world was supposed to disappear with him, but fate has a very twisted way of doing things. Bella ends up further into this mystical world than she ever would have imagined. Set after Edward leaves in New Moon
1. Demons

**Hey everyone! I'd just like to welcome you to a new story that I have in the works! It is still a work in process and I'm not sure how often I'll be able to update since my life is pretty crazy and I am working hard on my other story, Eternal Sacrifices, but I have been dying to get it posted for you guys to read! I hope you enjoy it! It might be a little OOC but I will try to keep things in character. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or the characters; they belong rightfully to Stephenie Meyer.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

_You gave up the fight  
You left me behind  
All that stands forgiven  
You'll always be mine  
I know deep inside  
All that stands forgiven_

_Watched the clouds drifting away_  
_Still the sun can't warm my face_  
_I know it was destined to go wrong_  
_You were looking for the great escape_  
_To chase your demons away_

* * *

Once you are born, there are only two things guaranteed: life and death. Sometimes, people get lucky in life. They fall madly in love, have beautiful children, and live happily ever after. Other times, people end up like me. They fall in love and get their heart broke.

I didn't just fall in love with _him. _I felt myself detach from the planet and revolve around him like he was the sun and I was the Earth. There was nothing I wanted more out of life. I never fit in while I was growing up, and I could die peacefully knowing very well that my parents were happy. I didn't just get my heart broken: it was ripped into a million pieces, impossible to put back together.

Of course, as always, life will have some type of drama in it. I wouldn't say that my drama was the normal eighteen year old drama. My best friend has a body temperature of 108 degrees, he always disappears late at night, and sometimes he never returns my phone calls. The love of my life left me heartbroken and shattered after his brother nearly killed me on my birthday. I was almost murdered by a sadistic man named James. There is an evil woman tracking me down to kill me. Did I mention that they are all mythical creatures that people only believe to exist in fairytales?

I entered myself into a world full of mystic beings and I'd even go out as far to say: magic. This is something that I have no control over. I'm the helpless human who wasn't good enough for the beautiful, strong, alluring, and dazzling vampire. It was hard to face the truth; I would never be good enough for him.

Even when I felt as if my entire world was falling apart; life continued forward, dragging me along with it. It feels like forever that they have been gone, but it has only been five months. I couldn't remember what it felt like to smile. I had been a zombie; almost the walking dead; since September. I hurt the ones that I love. Charlie had nearly sent me to live with Renee when he couldn't take it anymore. That's when I broke. I couldn't leave this town- it was my only proof that he was real.

I started hanging out with Jake soon after Charlie had threatened me. He brought out the best of me that he could. I was actually beginning to feel happy. I'd see _him _when I was doing reckless things with Jake. We had rode motorcycles, gone cliff diving, and even went parasailing. I was never into adrenaline, but lately, I guess you could say I was a junkie looking for my next fix.

Soon as you think things are turning around; something always goes wrong. Jacob had warned me that Victoria had been around. Victoria wanted revenge for her mate- James. Jacob promised that the pack would do everything they could to protect me- and he wasn't kidding.

I sighed, coming out of my thoughts. It was mid-February and the temperatures were very harsh. The window that _he _use to always come in through was before me. The dark black eyes from the forest met mine. I could tell it was Sam and Jacob standing guard this night. They had been driving themselves up the walls protecting me, and my guilt was starting to become to much.

I grabbed my brown parka and headed outside to meet them. I could never get over how huge they really were. Sam was the biggest out of all the pack. He stood taller than a horse on all fours. Jacob nuzzled his huge head into my side. His warmth quickly began heating my body.

"You guys haven't seen any signs of Victoria for weeks," I said tentatively. "You need to go home and get rest. Charlie and I are fine." Jacob's big round eyes were protesting. Sam nudged him with his nose, communicating in their weird wolf way. I looked at him, pleading for them to get some rest. "Emily would probably like some time with you." I said softly, looking at Sam. I could see his black eyes fill with immediate devotion for Emily. Just speaking her name would send Sam off into his imprinted land.

Sam nudged Jake again, this time noticeably harder. Jake whimpered softly, nuzzling his into me again. He pointed his long snout towards the house, clearly telling me that I had to go back inside before they'd leave. I ran my hand through his fur once more before smiling and heading back into the warmth of the house.

I crawled into bed, the loneliness searing its way through the hole in my chest. It was times like this I hated the most. When I had nobody to worry about and nothing to think about. I did everything I could to keep my mind away from poisoned thoughts.

* * *

_**3:00 A.M**_

I awoke with a start. Sweat poured off my body like a faucet. I could hear my heart beat through my ears. This wasn't the same. I didn't have a nightmare tonight. My body was paralyzed with pure fear when I saw the silhouette in the rocking chair. I felt my breath catch in my throat. It couldn't possibly be _him._ He told me that he didn't want me anymore. I tried my best to control the pounding of my heart.

"E-Edward?" I stammered, wincing as I spoke his name. It was something I very rarely did. I could hear the figure chuckle a little. It didn't sound like Edward's smooth laugh. It was high pitched and sadistic.

"Wrong." The voice whispered as they took a step out into the light from the moon. I could see fire. Fire was ablaze all around my window. My heart lurched to my feet. Victoria.

She noticed that I recognized who she was. I felt like someone was squeezing my throat so tight that I couldn't speak.

"Do you know why I'm here?" She asked quietly. My mind immediately raced to Charlie. What if she killed him? All I could do was helplessly shake my head as tears pooled into my eyes. She walked slowly close to the bed, and I felt myself involuntary cower under my blanket. "Speak." She ordered. Her voice was the high soprano I feared. If it were possible, ice could have came out of her mouth from how cool her voice was.

"N-No." I stammered. I could see her sparkling white teeth as she smirked and circled to the other side of my bed. She was the hunter, and I was the prey.

"Vengeance." She practically cackled. She was still being so quiet, so I hoped that she hadn't killed Charlie. She came closer until she was just a few inches away from my face. I could see how black her eyes were- she was starving. My mind was racing with possible escape plans, but I knew each one would fail. If I could lead her away from Charlie, maybe things would be okay.

"Edward took away the only thing that mattered to me in this damned life." She seethed, and I cowered back once again. She then slapped me on my face, leaving me in complete shock. She didn't slap me hard enough to bruise, but initial feel of her cold skin left a sting. I peered around the room as she continued her banter. "I feel it is only right to avenge James by killing you. The one thing Edward cares about most, even though your just a weak human." I grimaced at hearing his name.

"You're wrong." I whispered, my voice barely audible to my own ears. She arched one perfectly sculpted eyebrow at me. "He doesn't love me. He left me." A wicked grin spread across her face.

"I couldn't see how he could love such a helpless human. Maybe that is what attracted him? How you were so fragile, so weak, so pathetic." She hissed mercilessly. I could feel the tears pool in my eyes again. She jumped back, circling the room again, inspecting everything that I owned. When she had her back to me, that's when I made my move. I knew I wouldn't make it, but I couldn't die knowing I didn't try. I leapt for the window, and surprisingly made it out. The ice cold hit me like a thousand knives, making my breath leave me in a gasp.

I landed with a loud thud and a sickening snap. Through the pain, I managed to see Victoria, still in my bedroom. She must have thought it was pointless to go after me, seeing as I wouldn't get far. She would rather have me suffer with the pain I caused myself. Feebly, I tried to slide away as far as I could from the house. Every centimeter I moved sent stabs of pain through my entire body, but I couldn't stop trying.

Thankfully, I had grabbed my phone in the process of leaping out the window. Silently as I could, I pressed my speed dial and turned the speaker sound off. I knew he could hear what was going on. I wished for two things: that he would save me; and that he wouldn't. I couldn't stand it if he got hurt, but with the others on his side, it might be an easy win. Peering over my shoulder, I could see Victoria jumping out of the window, moving at my same pace. I had only made it about 10 feet from where I fell.

"You're brave." She muttered, suddenly appearing next to me. The pain caused my vision to blur, making her look even more on fire. I felt another sickening snap as she stepped on my arm.

"I'm going to put you through hell." She hissed, dragging her sharp nails across my face. I cried out in pain, trying to scramble to my feet. I could feel the warm liquid leaking down from my cuts. Struggling to see Victoria through the haze of pain, I barely made out the fact that she was growling-from thirst.

She was suddenly on top of me, pinning my arms down. I could faintly remember Edward saying that a little bit of blood could send a vampire into a frenzy. Victoria looked absolutely terrifying. Her lips were curled over her teeth as she breathed in deeply, enjoying my scent. I could feel the life slipping away from my body. I felt a sharp stab to my neck- and then I felt the fire engulfing me alive. A strangled cry escaped my lips, but I bit back all other sounds, fearing for Charlie's life. I struggled to remain conscious as I felt the weight and cold being thrown from my body. As I let go of my consciousness, the last thing I saw was a fire being ripped from porcelain.

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**That was a fun first chapter, right?! It has been forever since I have published a new story and I'm sorry about that! I have working on cleaning up my old stories since they were really bad, so I hope you enjoy this one! Like I said earlier, I have been putting a lot of work into Eternal Sacrifices, but I wanted to get this story out for you guys to read. **

**This story hit me like a train and I'm super excited to see where it goes even though I have it planned out! Read and review and let me know what you thought! I really appreciate hearing what you have to say and it motivates me to work on it! **

**Song: Forgiven by Within Temptations (which I do not own)**

**Love,**

**GVE**


	2. Reborn

**Chapter Two: Reborn**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or the characters. They belong to Stephenie Meyer.**

_My senses tell me I have changed_  
_But one thing still remains_  
_I'm torn and the hate's still aching_  
_I slowly start to realize_  
_We won't reunite_  
_I still have to march on through_

_I dream of a stairway to the skies_  
_My angel is coming down from heaven to take me_  
_I reach out but then you fade away_  
_Whenever you call for me_  
_Know that I'm only one step behind_

* * *

The flames were **EATING ME ALIVE! **The fire scorched throughout my body, lighting every cell on fire. I could barely see through the haze of darkness that was brought along with the fire. Short glimpses of Edward would pass through my mind. It would give me temporary relief from the flame. His voice sounded clear as glass in my mind.

"It'll be over soon." He would whisper, before fading back into the darkness. I wanted to cry out to my angel. I wanted him to come save me! I couldn't form words to protest his leaving. It was something Edward was skilled at. It was as if he was taunting me. He would come so close to holding me in his arms, then disappear back into the black. It tore a new hole into my flaming heart each time.

I could faintly feel myself being shifted time to time. I had no clue who was doing it, but I figured out, the more I held still, the less the flame burnt. I had no idea how long I was burning alive. It could have only been minutes, but it felt like hours to me. Victoria had got her vengeance for James. This hell that I was placed into was the worst thing I had ever gone to. I just wondered when I would reach the end of this tunnel and be left in darkness.

Renee use to always tell me that when we died, we went through a tunnel and would be greeted by a bright light. I had never listened to her, of course. I just thought it was another hobby that she would be flying right through. Suddenly, she seemed to be right. I could start hearing something besides the silent reverie in my head. There were hushed whispers coming from somewhere nearby. Maybe another room? That was only if I was in a house.

"She should be waking up soon," One of the rough voices said harshly. "The bloodsucker said it only takes between two and three days. We are at the end of the third day." I could hear someone shuffling their feet as they moved to sit down. I heard the familiar sound of a chair scraping against the floor, but this time, it sounded so much more clearer and vivid. It was like I was right next to the chair hearing it squeal.

"Don't worry." A familiar voice said quietly. "It won't be long." I could hear a sneer from another one of the people.

"What if she wakes up and kills us all?" A gruff voice demanded. By the voices, I could tell they were all fairly large men. Is this the gates of hell? I pondered over the thought as more senses came back to my body. I breathed in slowly, inhaling a scent so repulsive that I nearly gagged. It smelled worse than the goat liver that Charlie use to love to eat. My mind quickly rushed to Charlie, trying to push through the little bit of haze that was left to know if he was alright. I felt the feeling return in all my limbs, and I moved them cautiously. I surprised myself at how easily they moved and how gracious just a tiny movement seemed. I felt a thick layer cover my teeth, sharpening them to a deadly point. It was then I decided to open my eyes.

As soon as I opened my eyes, I realized what I was. I realized what Victoria did. She created me into the thing that Edward refused to. She stole my humanity right out from underneath me. She snatched my chance at death away. Technically, I already was dead. I was the living proof of death.

As I looked around, I felt like I had never seen the world before this moment. Everything was so clear. It was sharp to a point where I felt like I was viewing everything on a three-dimensional scale. I could see the tiniest details on the fabric of a sheet that was laid over my body. The colors were so vivid. I quickly recognized where I was at. I was in the living room of the old Cullen home. The pale on pale contrast was very familiar to me. There was hardly anything in the house. There was the couch that I was laying on, which had been here when they had. Other than that, there was nothing in the living room. It was just a huge, empty room. I could hear the pounding of three hearts. I could hear the blood running through their veins and a burn was at the back of my throat.

"She's awake." The rough voice that spoke last spoke again. The repulsive smell got stronger, as did the sound of the beating heart. As the man rounded the corner from the kitchen into the living room, I gasped at who it was. A snarl that was so feral escaped my lips, shocking us both. Remorse quickly filled my eyes as the memories of him and I returned.

"Jacob." I whispered, scaring myself at the sound of my voice. I no longer had the boring, human voice of Bella Swan. It was chiming bells, just like all of the Cullen's. I winced inwardly at thinking their name. It was still a fresh wound in my mind.

Jacob's face was strained with pain, and I wanted to hug him, making it all go away. He was still just as huge as I remembered him. Everything was defined now though, and I could see his veins clench as his heart sped up.

"Bella." Was all he said. Two more men rounded the corner, and I recognized them to be Jake's best friends: Quil and Embry. They both were much more defined in muscles since the last time I saw them. I guess it would be different considering this is my first time seeing them through vampire eyes.

With one swift movement I was on my feet, standing before them. I could see a shiver run down the spine of each of them. They were making a huge sacrifice by being here for me. We are now mortal enemies.

"Do you remember what happened?" Quil asked, eyeing me cautiously. I nodded.

"Victoria bit me." I said, and quickly remembered Charlie. "Is my Dad okay?" Jake seemed relieved that he wouldn't have to explain the details of my brutal death over to me.

"The leech didn't touch him." Embry said with so much scorn in his voice. I was saddened because I realized that now, that is what I would be to him. A worthless, no good, blood sucking leech. Jake sniveled quietly.

"I'm so sorry that I didn't get there in time Bells." He whispered, falling to his knees. He wasn't able to keep his eyes on me for long. I guess seeing me becoming what he hated most was breaking him down. I slowly went to him, or at least I think I went slowly, but I couldn't be sure because Embry and Quil both growled when I was next to Jake.

"I'm okay." I promised as I put my hand on Jake's shoulder. He flinched and pulled away. I bit my lip softly, realizing how cold I would feel to him. "I'm sorry." He shook his head and suddenly pulled me to him. I gasped at the sudden movement, and how bad he smelled. I held my breath as long as I could. I could feel his heart pounding beneath my hand. He was lucky he stunk so much or else this would have been very dangerous for the both of us.

"I am the one who should be sorry. If I never would have left the house, you would still be alive. You wouldn't be damned to hell like you are now. I could have saved your soul!" He roared, jumping back from me. He was shaking with the tremors that rocked through his body. Quil and Embry quickly began calming him down, but it showed little effect. I wish I could cry. I felt like tears were filling my eyes, but they were never falling. I couldn't help but to think of Edward, and how badly I wished he was here. I knew that he would never want me now. I was what he never wanted me to become. I was just like him. I had to live forever knowing that he doesn't love me, that he never did. I swallowed, the burn lighting slowly, but fading away as I looked into the guilt ridden eyes of my best friend.

"Jake, it's not your fault. I was the one who told you to leave." I whispered, stepping closer to him. I made sure I went at an average pace this time. I never realized how much effort it took to stay slow. "Please don't feel bad. I can't live with the guilt of you feeling like you caused this for the rest of forever."

"Look at what she did, Bella." He whispered, shuddering as he pulled me towards the bathroom. The reflection in the mirror was not quickly distinguishable as me. The woman had long, luscious hair that flowed to her waist. It was a deep mahogany color. Her body was full and curvy, and very beautiful. Her skin was just as pale as the Cullen's, with a luminescent glow to it. She looked at her face then quickly looked away. Her eyes- my eyes, were a piercing ruby red. I understood now why Jake couldn't bear looking at me.

"The color won't last for long." I murmured, looking down at my hands. Jake softly cupped my face in his hands. The touch of his skin made me want to shed out of mine, but I controlled my movements. I knew he meant no harm. Regardless if we were mortal enemies or not, he is still my best friend.

"You're beautiful." He said, staring straight into my eyes. I could see the reflection of my red eyes in his brown ones. I looked away quickly. "But, you stink." He laughed. I couldn't help but laugh along with him. We both stopped in shock of my laugh. It sounded like wind chimes blowing in the air. It would definitely take some time getting use to that. It was nice to feel that Jake was not resentful towards me, but as for the rest of the pack, I had no clue what to expect. It was obvious that Quil and Embry didn't hate me, why else would they stay with Jake? As if on cue, Quil and Embry came into the bathroom with us. The stench was absolutely disgusting, and worse since we were in a closed space.

"Well you don't smell like a bouquet of flowers either, Jake." I laughed, holding my nose in mockery. Quil and Embry both laughed.

"What happens now?" Embry asked, eyeing me. I sighed, breathing in deeply. The flame burst back alive in my throat.

"I need to hunt." I said, and all of their eyes got wide for what was ahead.

* * *

**Yes, I know, another cliffy. I'm sorry, but you love it **** I hope all my readers are enjoying the story. I have a good feeling that it will come a long way. Please review and tell me what you think. **

**Song: Stairway to the Skies by Within Temptation **

**Love,**

**GVE**


	3. The Hunt

**Title: The Hunt**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or the characters. They belong to Stephenie Meyer**

* * *

_**I fear who I am becoming,**_  
_** I feel that I am losing the struggle within**_  
_** I can no longer restrain it,**_  
_** My strength, it is fading**_  
_** I have to give in**_

* * *

A million thoughts raced through my mind. I had absolutely no clue on how to hunt. It was something that Edward said I could never witness him do. He told me that when hunting, vampires give into their animalistic behaviors. I could probably be the only vampire on the face of the Earth that didn't know how to hunt. How embarrassing.

"Is she alive?" Quil whispered. It was then that I noticed my eyes were closed and I was holding very still. I also had stopped breathing; it made the burn stop aching so dominantly. I slowly looked at him, questioningly.

"I wouldn't say alive." I muttered, still pondering over how I was going to accomplish this. I wonder if it were the same for wolves as it would be for humans when I'd be hunting. Would I be tempted to kill them if they were there? I doubted it because nothing on this earth smelled as horrible as they did. Maybe they would be able to show me how if my animalistic behavior has a defect.

"You were so still, you could have been a statue!" Embry barked, laughing as he did. I shrugged like it was completely obvious.

"It's a tendency of vampires." I could see each of them stiffen at the word. It wasn't one of their favorites, unless they were killing them. A huge grin suddenly spread across Jake's face.

"You don't know how to hunt?" He asked, trying to stifle his laughter. Quil and Embry put forth no effort at stopping their roars of laughter. I glared at them and shook my head at Jake. I felt completely pathetic. "Guess we get to teach you." He laughed.

"You don't think I'll hurt one of you, do you?" I asked, nervously biting my lip. Jake laughed once more before giving me a comforting smile.

"You couldn't if you tried." Quil howled with laughter before smiling playfully at me. I glared at him but lightened up once he smiled.

As if on cue, we began towards the forest behind the Cullen manor. Each of them took off towards the small creek that was not too far in the forest. As they leapt over it, they all morphed into their wolf forms. Seeing the transformation was incredible. It was like they were shedding their human skin, almost like it was a Halloween costume. I could see the energy ripple through their bodies as they combusted out of their human forms. It took less than a second to happen, but it felt like longer as I saw each detail of their bodies form back together.

I took off towards the direction they went. My grace surprised me highly. I was hoping that I wouldn't still be such a klutz as a vampire. I couldn't help but smile as I leapt over the creek just as skillfully as they did. Maybe hunting wouldn't be such a challenge? The thought was comforting.

The boys stunk even worse in their wolf forms. It nearly made me gag as I followed the scent to where they were running. I could hear the cars driving on the highway. Everything was so much clear. I understood now why Edward said we would never hit a tree. It was just like second nature.

The wolves stopped, sticking their noses in the air, inhaling deeply. I could smell what they did. It was a herd of deer, about two miles west of us. The burn went wild at the smell, and I took off towards the herd. I scaled the trees about a mile away from them, and leapt from tree to tree. Soon, I was perched on the edge of a large branch, staring down at the herd. I knew I didn't have much time if Jake and his friends decided to follow.

Quickly, I leapt onto the back of the largest buck I saw. The rest of the herd scatted fearfully. I heard his spine snap. The sound actually- thrilled me. My thirst was all that I could think about. There had to be someway to put out the burning. My razor sharp teeth sunk into the neck of the buck. It felt like biting into a piece of cotton candy. The warm liquid rushed into my mouth and the burn silenced as I drank greedily. The large thudding of paws told me that Jake and his wingmen were close. I slurped the rest of the blood out of the buck, and he went completely limp in my arms. It only took seconds for the entire hunt to take place. I couldn't believe that I was worried about being a defected vampire.

Jake barked, trying to laugh. I glared at him. The communication barrier was quite annoying. My best guess was that he was laughing at the fact that I knew how to hunt after all. Quil whimpered, pawing at the ground. I gave him a confused look. He nudged the deer with his nose and began to dig in the ground. Oh! He wanted me to bury the body. My sharp nails quickly dug through the thick soil as I pushed the carcass into it and buried it.

Jake whined loudly. I could tell that something had changed. The atmosphere had gotten increasingly tense as I had finished burying the deer. He motioned his head for me to follow them. We took off running away from the Cullen's land. We ran for about fifteen minutes when a strong stench of wolf hit me roughly. I couldn't help but physically gag. I realized then that we were at the infamous and invisible treaty line. Sam was waiting for us in his human form, with three wolves at his flank. I stared at Sam with my newfound eyesight. I never realized how muscled he truly was. His entire body was tense at our approach and I could see the beads of sweat forming on his forehead. His entire stature screamed Alpha and it made me reminiscent on the times when Jake was afraid of Sam. I wanted to laugh at the thought now since I knew him better, but I could still see it from that old perspective as well.

"Hello Bella." Sam said. I could tell it made him uncomfortable that I was a vampire now. His voice was strained, but Sam had impeccable control these days.

"Hi Sam." He stiffened at the sound of my voice. He clearly wasn't expecting it to sound so beautiful. I never gave much thought to how something I wanted so badly at one point in my life could affect the people that meant the most to me so easily. Everything changes when you transform.

"I know that the treaty wasn't broken, so they are still safe if they ever return. The one that changed you has been killed." Sam spoke very sternly. "Jake has told me that you have very good control already. I just want to make sure the people are safe. It is our duty to protect them."

"Sam, you know I would never hurt anyone in Forks or La Push. I wouldn't hurt any human. Just because I've been changed, doesn't change who I am." Sam nodded quietly.

"You've always been good to the people on La Push. I will have to talk to the council tonight to see what will be done." I raised my eyebrows at him, clearly confused. They wouldn't kill me, would they? "I mean, if they will allow you on La Push or not." I nodded with relief swimming through my being.

"I won't cause any trouble, Sam. You have my word." I was glad that the pack and I had become so close. It made this much easier than it would have been. "What does Charlie know? I asked, quietly.

"He thinks that the Cullen's came back and you decided to go with them. He's upset that you never said goodbye." I sighed silently to myself. I hated the fact that I had hurt Charlie, but I would rather him be hurt and alive than the latter. What I wouldn't give for that lie to be true. If the Cullen's could still love me, I would want nothing more than to be with them. Instead, my existence is going to be lonely and loveless.

"Thank you." My voice was barely a whisper. Sam nodded and turned to go back to the reservation. Quil and Embry left with the others while Jake stayed with me. "Go change so we can talk." I laughed at his lopsided wolf grin. He did as I asked and came back in a pair of cut off shorts. I bet they have stashes hidden in the forest since they ruin clothes so much. He still was truly beautiful, even if he smelled like a landfill.

"Well, that went good." Jake laughed, smiling.

"Was it suppose to go bad?"

"Nope!" He said, making a popping sound on the 'P'. It was still a shock to adjust to the fact that Jake was comfortable already being around me. I never imagined any of this going so well.

"Jake, I know I don't have any right to ask you this, but I was wondering if you could do me a favor?" I was tentative. I didn't want to push my luck with all the kindness I was receiving. Jake rolled his eyes.

"Bells, you can ask me anything. Nothing has changed between us." He grinned, and it made me feel better.

"Can you get me some clothes from Charlie's? I kinda have none." Jake smiled, nodding, motioning for me to follow him.

We headed off into the woods and started in the direction of Charlie's house, I assumed. It was a peaceful day outside even though I felt like my world was chaotic. The birds in the trees were still chirping away and I heard the sounds of squirrels skittering across the ground. The waves hitting the sand at First Beach sounded close even though they were miles away. The cloud cover was more dense today with the smell of rain becoming more and more prominent.

I didn't realize how long Jake and I had walked for, but I soon started to recognize the woods that were behind Charlie's house. The dark memories came into my mind from the haunting day that Edward left me. These woods were what I wanted to vanish into. I thought they would swallow me whole and I'd finally be at peace, but unfortunately, things don't always work out like we plan.

"Charlie isn't home, is he?" I asked Jake as the trees started to thin out in front of us. I didn't want to take the risk of smelling the air since I didn't have full understanding of how animalistic I was or could be.

"No. He's over with my Dad. He didn't want to be alone in the house." Jake said while looking at me with saddened eyes. It broke my heart that Charlie was hurting, but nothing could be changed now. Jake and I entered the backyard and easily got through the backdoor without leaving any signs that it had been opened. I'd have to ask Jake where he learned that eventually. As we entered the house, Charlie's scent enveloped me. The ache in my throat came back slightly, but it faded when I decided this was a mind over matter ordeal. I would not become what frightened everyone when they thought of vampires. I completely refused to become a monster. "Are you okay?" Jake's voice was full of concern and I looked up at him. I guess I was doing the freakish thing where I stood still for too long.

"Yeah. It's just that I can smell Charlie's scent and I was telling myself that I wasn't going to become a monster." I sighed as I tried to shake the negative feeling from my body. Jake sighed as well and put his hands on my shoulders.

"Bella, I won't let you become a monster. You are the farthest thing from it. Don't worry, okay?" His brown eyes were radiating with kindness and sincerity. I slowly moved to hug Jake, no matter how much it made either of us want to crawl out of our skin. We weren't going to let our nature destroy our friendship.

"Thank you, Jake, for everything you've done for me." I murmured into his chest. We pulled apart and Jake gave me a grin; his way of saying not to worry about it. I smiled softly at him before we headed up the stairs and into my old bedroom.

It didn't take long to gather some clothes in an extra backpack I had in the closet. I grabbed just enough that it wouldn't look any different to Charlie if he had come in here. The clothes would be tight on me since I filled out into a more curvaceous body during the transformation, but it would have to do for now. I also grabbed the money out of my wallet, which was only 100 dollars. It was like starting from scratch, but there wasn't a single thing I could do about it.

Jake and I headed into the woods again on our walk back towards the reservation. We were both quiet as we took in the scenery and were lost in our own thoughts. All of the peace came to an abrupt end when a smell hit me like a truck. It was hot human blood rushing throughout a body not to far from us. There must have been an open wound because it was one of the strongest smells I had ever experienced. The venom began to pool in my mouth as I felt the animalistic side begin to take over and within seconds I was running full speed towards the human.

* * *

**Oh boy! **

**Anyways, I am glad to see that you guys are enjoying this story! It has been pretty enjoyable writing it and I'm happy that people like it. **

**I want to give a shout-out to jasella dramione for reviewing a ton of my stories! I appreciate all the love and support you are giving me and I'm always excited to get a new reviewer! Thank you!**

**Be on the look out for the next chapter!**

**Song: It's The Fear by Within Temptation**

**Love,**

**GVE**


	4. Happy Places

**Title: Happy Places**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or the characters. They belong to Stephenie Meyer**

* * *

_**Lose control**_  
_**Increasing pace**_  
_**Warped and bewitched**_  
_**Time to erase**_  
_**Whatever they say**_  
_**These people are torn**_  
_**Wild and bereft**_  
_**Assassin is born**_

* * *

The smell of the rushing blood took over all of my senses. No amount of common sense or logic could have broken through my objective. I had to get to this human. My entire body was possessed with that single thought. I could faintly hear Jake's wolf snarl and feel the heat of his body close behind, but it didn't matter. All that mattered was the warm liquid running down my throat.

I pushed myself faster and harder as the smell became more potent. I had only run for a couple minutes before it was overwhelming me. The tall and dense trees became thinner as I broke into a clearing. Thousands of stems of the colorful wildflowers that would bloom in the upcoming weeks covered the ground in the clearing. There was the slightest hesitation of my foot as I realized where I was; the meadow. My body halted instantly against the will of my mind.

There was a young female hiker lying at the left side of the meadow. I could see a deep gash on the side of her calve. The gooey red liquid was pouring out like a faucet for my taking. I could smell the saltiness of her tears as she panicked over her situation. Why wouldn't she panic? Her situation was about to become more terrible than she ever imagined. I wasn't going to torture her. _No. _I repeated mentally. I'm not like Victoria. I wouldn't torture anyone.

A searing hand on my shoulder brought me out of my thoughts. Jake was in his human form again and I could see the hundreds of sweat beads that formed on his body. My instinct was to attack, but naturally, he was expecting it. He quickly pulled my arms behind my back and brought me to my knees, kneeling beside me.

"This isn't who you are, Bella." He murmured gently in my ear. I threw my body in every direction trying to break free of his death grip on my arms while growling up a storm.. My thrashing was useless. My vulnerable state of mind left me too weak to fight him off. I thought this newborn thing was supposed to be different. "Edward wouldn't want this."

"Who gives a damn what he'd want!" I cried, throwing my body into more convulsions to break his grip. "He didn't want me."

"Go to your happy place, Bella. Anything to break you out of this." Jake's voice was frantic as he was slowly losing his grip on my arms. His words suddenly clicked in my mind as the meadow bloomed before me. The sun was shining with a brilliant light as the flowers danced gently in the wind. There were thousands of diamonds shining off of a figure from the middle of the meadow. Slowly, I moved towards it, reaching out to hold onto some of the light. As I grasped the hand of the figure, he suddenly became clear.

"Oh, Bella." Edward sighed in his beautiful, melodic voice. My knees buckled at the sound and gave way from underneath me. "Love, this isn't who you are. You will not her hurt. I know this." His voice was delicate like a feather as his hand stroked my cheek. No matter how hard I tried, no words could come to my mouth. Not a sound could escape my lips where a thousand questions were waiting for him. "Promise me you won't hurt her. Nod if you understand." My feeble nod felt like the most pathetic thing. My eyes tried to drink as much of his beauty in as they could, but suddenly he faded away.

I was abruptly back in my reality, except the gushing blood had lost all appeal. I stopped trying to fight Jake and slumped down in defeat. "I can't believe that worked." Jake murmured, more so to himself than me.

"It did." My voice was nearly a whisper as I looked up at him. I could see the pride in his eyes both for himself and me. "We can't just leave her here."

"You're right." Jake said, looking back at the young hiker. "Will you be okay if I let go of your arms?" His voice was cautious as he looked into my eyes. I nodded and he slowly released me. I kept good to my word and fought off any remaining instinct there was to attack. "Will you be okay while I help her?"

"I'm fine, Jake." I tried presenting my voice as confidently as possible to him. I truly was okay with the hiker, but I was more shaken up by seeing Edward in that dream thing that just happened. Jake stood and rushed over to the hiker. He was in shorts again, which baffled me. When did he get the time? I almost laughed to myself as I moved slowly to join him with the hiker. He gave me a warning look as I approached him, which I returned.

"What happened?" I asked her in the most calming voice I could manage. The young woman still looked terrified. Maybe it could have been being approached by a 7 foot tall half naked guy and an inhumanly beautiful looking girl. Just a wild guess. She explained how she fell down off of some bouldering rocks she was trying to climb. Jake and I helped get her back to her car where she was able to call for an ambulance. We both disappeared at the first sound of a siren in earshot distance. I couldn't risk being seen.

After we were a good distance away, Jake finally broke the silence. "You handled yourself really well back there." He said, visibly less tense.

"I'm pretty sure it could have went better." I muttered, still upset at how quickly my control had crumbled.

"Bella, it was the first time you've smelt running human blood. I don't think you're giving yourself enough credit." Jake's voice was stern, clearly wanting to get his point across to me.

"I'm just glad things turned out okay." I sighed in defeat, not wanting to argue with Jake any more than I had to. "But, we're not in the clear yet."

"Why's that?" Jake asked, his confusion apparent.

"I still have to see what the council decides about me coming onto the Rez. If they say no, I'm sure I could find somewhere in the woods to have quiet time at night. I could clean up in the river and make a living outdoors, but it'd be nice to be able to stay somewhere." My worries were making themselves clear as I expressed them to Jake. He stopped walking and put a warm hand on my shoulder.

"Bella, the council loves you. I know they do. I don't think they're going to make you suffer. Besides, you'll be on your feet eventually." Jake was full of optimism and it was refreshing.

"Thank you Jake. I know this isn't easy for you and I appreciate all that you are doing for me, more than you will ever know." I made sure Jake could hear the sincerity in my voice as I thanked him. He smiled his wolfy grin in response.

"Now let's go see what those old farts have to say." He barked out a laugh and we were off and running once again.

* * *

**A/N:**

**Yay for an update! I'm sorry that I haven't been updating this story as much as I want to. My life is really busy and it's not a very good excuse, but it's the truth. I've also lacked motivation to write like I used to. I'm trying to come back into it, but please bear with me as it may be a slow process! I will try to update once every other week or every week, or whenever I can honestly. **

**I hope you all are enjoying this story! I appreciate your reviews and you taking the time to read it!**

**Song: Assassin by Muse**


	5. Tribe

**Title: Tribe**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or the characters. They belong to Stephenie Meyer**

* * *

_**There is an answer in a question**_  
_**And there is hope within despair**_  
_**And there is beauty in a failure**_  
_**And there are depths beyond compare**_

* * *

It felt like Jake and I ran way faster than we should have. My mind was screaming all the negative outcomes at me as we got closer and closer to the meeting. If I was still human, my stomach contents would be emptied by now and I'd be sweating like I was in Phoenix during July. I was almost thankful for the inability to sweat, but my stomach still felt like it was doing flips with my nerves. Could vampires vomit their blood? These are the important questions that I had no answers to. My mind felt like it was racing a thousand miles per second as all the possibilities played out in my head. Jake tried and failed at calming me and a weird part of my mind had wished Jasper was here with that pesky power of his. As we approached the treaty line, Sam stood with the other members of the council; Sue Clearwater, Billy Black, and Quil Ateara III. I think Sam was also part of the council since he was the Alpha in the pack, but then again, it was hard to keep up with the politics of wolves.

"Hello Bella." Sue greeted me warmly. I had always been really fond of her, even since I was a little girl. She had been through quite a lot lately; her husband passing away and her only two kids turning into giant wolves. She's one strong woman and there isn't any denying it.

"Hi." I spoke quietly, knowing how much my voice affected them. It was a crazy concept for as much as they hated what I was for them to still go through it for who I am. I couldn't explain my appreciation for them even considering to let me onto their land. I knew how big of a deal it really was.

"We've done a lot of talking recently." Billy said in his all-knowing voice. He never intentionally used it, but that's just who Billy was. His wisdom has always surpassed him by many years. It was written into his face with defined lines and bold eyes. I couldn't help to imagine Billy as the Alpha of the Pack, even though he wasn't a wolf. I could see why Jacob felt he had a lot to live up to.

"I hope it was all good things." My nerves escaped in my words, regardless of how much I tried to hold them back. It wasn't fair to think that the Cullen's had perfected their emotions and verbal skills. Maybe it was just a newborn thing. Or, maybe it's just a Bella thing. Sue smiled gently at me for encouragement. I let out the breath I didn't realize I was holding in.

"For the most part." Quil spoke. The wisdom in his voice was even more prominent than Billy's. This was Quil's grandfather and he really had lived through quite some things. "You've always been a good kid, Bella." He grinned with his famous missing tooth smile.

"We have decided to allow you to stay on La Push. There is an open house that nobody currently lives in. You can stay there for now. It's not a permanent solution, but you have always been good to us and we don't want you to live in the forest." Billy spoke once again and relief washed over my heart. It was even better than the outcome I had imagined.

"Thank you so much!" I couldn't hide the smile that broke out onto my face. I wanted badly to run and hug each of them, but the look on Sam's face kept me in my spot.

"We do have some ground rules." Sam said in a more serious tone than the others. I nodded, completely understanding and respecting their decision. "First, you cannot hunt on our land. You will have to travel north towards the mountains and away from civilization. Second, you will need to keep yourself hidden while on La Push. It is still presumed by everyone that you ran off, so let's not have any suspicion come our way to why you're here and why you've changed. Third, you are still sworn to secrecy about our tribe and the pack. We expect you to keep that still. Lastly," Sam breathed out the rules before pausing. He looked up at me with a small smile playing on his lips. "Welcome to the tribe."

"Thank you!" I exclaimed joyfully. I did not stop myself from moving to hug them. I suppose I moved to fast as they each flinched, but I received hugs in return. My mind was still boggled at this relationship, but I was so grateful for it that I wouldn't question a thing about it. "You truly don't know how much I appreciate it." I murmured softly as I stepped back from my hugs.

"We're sorry that this happened to you. You don't deserve to be punished for a choice you didn't make." Sue said with the sadness hinting in her voice. I nodded in understanding, thankful that she didn't go into much detail.

"Jake will take you to your new home." Sam said with a look to Jake with his command and one last smile towards me. The council headed off into the direction of their vehicles while Jake and I began to walk into the direction of my new home.

"Holy shit." Jake remarked with a laugh once we were out of earshot from the others. I looked at him with an equally surprised expression on my face.

"I know right!" I squeaked excitedly. I still couldn't believe that everything had gone so perfectly.

"How does it feel?" He asked as he led the way through the shadows of the Rez. I hadn't realized the sun set a long time ago and the murky clouds covered the night sky, with just the slightest glimmer of moonlight escaping.

"I'm overwhelmed, but grateful." I sighed, letting my mind slip into all the thoughts and worries I had been harboring. It looked that I dropped out of high school to everyone. I broke my Dad's heart by leaving without saying goodbye, even though I didn't have much of a choice. I have only $100 and no plan for my life.

"You'll figure it out. You always do." Jake encouraged, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder. I smiled at my best friend with true thanks. I don't know if I'd be handling all of this as well as I apparently am without him. Even though my life was turned upside down just a few short days ago, I was really thankful to have Jake. He held me together when Edward tore a hole into my chest and ripped my heart out and he's holding me together now. Even if he did smell repulsive. A laugh escaped me at the thought and Jake eyeballed me curiously.

"I was just thinking about how thankful I am for you, even if you do stink." He grinned and gave me a light shove. I laughed once more as we finally came to a stop in front of a brown wooden home. _Home._ I smiled.

* * *

**Three Years Later**

**Bella: 21 (Human) 3 (Vampire)**

**Jake: 19 (If anyone wanted to know ha-ha)**

It was incredibly hard to believe that it was the three year anniversary of my physical death. Three years ago Victoria snuck into my house and destroyed the life I was desperately trying to hold together. It didn't seem like three years as much as it did ten. Time passed by at a horribly slow rate when you can't sleep.

It was a funny thought seeing how I really hadn't done much with my existence in the last three years. Most of my days were spent hanging out in my house, waiting for Jake to get out of school or to get off of patrol. I hung out with the pack a lot. We've actually become pretty good friends. The nickname they had come up for me was ridiculous, but it stuck; Vampire Little Squawk. They loved to make fun of my growl, even though it was just as intimidating as Victoria's. It didn't bother me since they all knew that I could beat them up within the blink of an eye.

I had built up quite an impeccable self-control in the last three years. I would dare to compare it to Carlisle Cullen. Blood had no effect on me anymore. I've tested the theory thousands of times by sneaking into the hospital. It may not have been the wisest move, as Jake yelled at me, but I finally proved myself strong. I had also built up my endurance and strength. I was faster than all the wolves and stronger than them. In the beginning, I had been pretty helpless in fights with more than one of them, but as we continued wrestling, I had improved. I still let them win from time to time to not destroy their egos. It really felt like I had a bunch of brothers and even a sister. It took Leah a long time to even look at me, but we finally bonded over me beating Paul up. Who knew she had the same annoyance tolerance level for him that I did? Leah was pretty much one of my best friends. There weren't a whole lot of options, but I'm still glad I had her.

It was really hard being apart from my Dad. I never realized how much I truly loved him and wanted to spend time with him until I couldn't. It broke my heart seeing him around the Rez. I could tell how much my "leaving" really hurt him. There was nothing I had wished for more than to be able to hug him and be his little girl again. Jake had bought me a burner phone that Charlie couldn't trace the location of the number on. I had called him within the first couple weeks of being changed. It broke my heart even more hearing how sad he was in his voice. It felt as if I was going to start crying real tears when I had to explain things to him on why I couldn't visit. It was even harder having to pretend like I was with the Cullen's since they had abandoned me as well. I was really grateful for the opportunity to keep communicating with my Dad. I call him twice a day, just like I've done for the last three years. It makes me feel like I'm still his little girl, even though I would never be that again.

It was definitely a different story with Renee. She had always been a little absent in my life, so it wasn't as hard to not see her. I called her once every two weeks to update her on my fake life and hear about how things were for her. She seemed way more understanding about my "leaving". Then again, she is Renee. I was still happy knowing that her life is fulfilling and she is happy.

I smiled in content as I looked around my home. It was still really empty as I didn't have a job. It was kind of hard to get a job when you're supposed to be 3500 miles away in another state. I hadn't even thought about finishing high school or how I would even fake those kinds of documents. Like Jake always said, I'd figure it out. I looked out of the window facing the backyard and saw the clouds breaking in the faintest bit. I tore out of my house like a lightning bolt.

I came to an open clearing that the sun was shining down on. There were no signs of any humans within 35 miles so I felt safe enough. I had seen myself in the sun before, but it was always an exhilarating experience. I started the same way each time. First, placing my hand into the light and watching how it would illuminate like a thousand diamonds. I'd slowly start inching my way into the light until my entire body was submersed into the golden rays. I wished badly that I could feel the heat warm up my skin, but that was just a wish.

A snap of a twig brought me out of my pleasurable thoughts as my head locked in the direction it came from. A face I hadn't seen in nearly four years emerged from the woods.

"Laurent?"

* * *

**How cruel am I? Muahaha! I know it's horrible to leave you all with a cliff hanger, but hey, sometimes bad things happen to good people! **

**I hope you all are enjoying this story so far! I'm really happy to be back and writing again! I've missed it so much! I hope to update a lot more often than I used to. Just gotta keep the motivation rolling.**

**On another note, I need you guys to go to my profile and vote for what you want for this story. I am so torn about making it Edward/Bella or Jasper/Bella. I am leaning towards J/B, but I want your opinions! So, please go vote!**

**Please review and let me know what you thought! I would love you so much if you did!**

**Song: Black Sun by Death Cab for Cutie**

**Love,**

**GVE**


	6. Forward

**Title: Forward**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or the characters. They belong to Stephenie Meyer.**

* * *

**_It's down to this_**  
**_I've got to make this life make sense_**  
**_Can anyone tell what I've done_**  
**_I miss the life_**  
**_I miss the colours of the world_**  
**_Can anyone tell where I am_**

**_'Cause now again I've found myself_**  
**_So far down, away from the sun_**  
**_That shines into the darkest place_**  
**_I'm so far down, away from the sun again_**  
**_Away from the sun again_**

* * *

My vision was perfect as a vampire, but I still doubted how clearly I was seeing as I stared at Laurent. My memories from my human life were still intact. Edward had explained that things would begin to get groggy as I lived longer, but I could remember things from my human life now that I couldn't before, so I think that's just another oddity of being Bella. One of the things I remembered was the piercing red eyes that belonged to a certain glossy haired vampire. The eyes that bore into mine were a soft golden color, just like any vegetarian vampire. Could my eyes deceive me like this?

"Bella…" Laurent said, his French accent hinting just the slightest in his tone. Instinctively I was thrown into defensive mode, crouching down and letting a feral snarl escape my lips. I had no idea where any of that came from, but I am definitely going to roll with it.

"Laurent." I seethed, watching his every move with hawk eyes. Laurent smiled coyly, raising his hands in defense. His eyes looked me over as his expression turned even more perplexed.

"I mean you no harm, Bella." He murmured in a sincere tone. It was hard to control the new attitude that rolled over me and the eye roll that wanted to go along with it.

"Last I remember, you were on the side of those trying to harm me." My voice was continually more threatening, surprising me further. Laurent let out a soft laugh, the bells resounding through the area.

"That was ages ago, no?" He questioned while taking a small step forward. My rumbling growl stopped him in his place.

"If you count four years as ages ago." I muttered, still crouched defensively.

"Newborns and their love for time." Laurent sighed with a smile while shaking his head.

"I'm no longer a newborn. Victoria ended my life three years ago to the day, actually." Laurent's eyebrows raised in shock. I wasn't going to let him play me for being stupid like so many others had. "Don't pretend like you didn't know." I snarled.

"I truly had no idea that Victoria had been around. The last I had heard from her was three years ago. She wanted me to help her end your life. I tried to talk her out of it, but my efforts proved useless." I could detect the slightest bit of remorse in his voice before he covered it smoothly.

"Do you honestly think I am that stupid?" I questioned angrily at his assumption of my knowledge. Once again he raised his brows in shock at my statement.

"Bella, I know you have no reason to trust me, but I am not lying to you. I had no idea Victoria was successful in her plans. I am sorry for causing you fear so many years ago, but I have changed my ways. It may have taken a few centuries to get my act together, but I am on the right path now. I know you are not stupid and there would be no point in lying to you." Laurent pleaded for me to believe him. I scanned his eyes in attempt to detect any dishonesty. It might have been useless since he was older than Carlisle and had more time to perfect his display, but something told me to believe him. The tense moment dragged on for what felt like forever with stares being exchanged until I willed my body to un-crouch.

"Okay, I believe you, but don't think that I won't hesitate to kill you either." I threatened as I began to close the distance between us. Laurent met me in the middle and extended his hand.

"I think we got off on the wrong foot. I'm Laurent." He smiled. It was one of those easy going and carefree smiles that I would see on Jake so frequently. I shook his hand and returned my own small smile.

"What brings you to Forks?" I asked as we sat down in the squishy grass, facing each other. He made a long gesture to the scenery around us.

"Besides its natural beauty, I am actually here on a favor from my wife." It was my turn to raise my eyebrows in shock. I never pictured him as having a wife since he was just an evil person in my mind, but it was a nice surprise knowing somebody out there loved him.

"I take it your wife is the cause of your diet?" I asked to which he responded with a nod.

"That would be my lovely Irina." His smile gave away how much he truly loved his wife. The name threw me for a moment, but nothing came to mind.

"Where did you meet her?" I prodded, wanting to find the answer to the familiarity of the name.

"It was all thanks to Carlisle Cullen. He told me about their sister coven in Denali and I went there immediately after departing from James' manhunt." Laurent explained with another smile. It felt like my stomach leapt into my throat. It would figure that Laurent would be with a coven so closely bonded to the Cullen's. "That's actually why I'm here."

"For the Cullen's?" I asked, trying my best to control the ache in my voice.

"Yes. Irina and her sisters have not heard from Carlisle in a long while, so they sent me to deliver a message in person. It's incredibly funny that I would run into you! What a shock it will be for your mate to see us walk through the door as acquaintances." Laurent said in a delighted tone.

"I hate to burst your bubble, but the Cullen's aren't here." Laurent once again looked shocked at my statement. The struggle was increasingly difficult to control my emotions from escaping me.

"You must know where they went then?" He inquired with a burning curiosity. I could tell that he didn't want to take disappointing news back home to his wife. I shook my head as my chest tightened.

"They all left three years ago. Edward didn't want me so they all left. What good was a human to him?" My emotions started to pour out and I felt like a fool for showing them to Laurent. His hand slowly moved to rest on my knee, giving me a reassuring squeeze.

"Bella, I do not know much about you, but I do know one thing. You should not let Edward make you doubt your value. He is a daft idiot if he left you behind." Laurent's voice was comforting and I appreciated his kind words. It was an odd feeling since I had been threatening to kill him not that long ago.

"Victoria's revenge was pointless." I laughed sadly. What a stupid mess this was. Laurent grinned a humorless smile.

"If I ever see her again, I'll be sure to tell her that." Laurent laughed lightly at her foolishness.

"I don't think you'll be seeing her again." I sneered. Laurent was once again taken aback, but said nothing more on the subject.

"I think you should come meet the Denali coven, even if just for a few hours." Laurent suggested, hope burning in his golden eyes. I sighed and shook my head. I doubt I could handle seeing people that would remind me so much of those that I lost.

"Laurent, I don't think that's a possibility." He heard the sadness in my voice and moved to his knees in front of me.

"Bella, just give it a chance. They would love to meet you." He encouraged with his toothy smile. I wonder if he had a power like Jasper's. I was beginning to feel very optimistic towards it.

"You should go if you want to Bells." Jake's husky voice surprised me. I hadn't even heard him approach us. Once again, another vampire Bella defect. He appeared from the tree line with a smile. Laurent was taken back by him and his casual tone with me.

"A wolf?" He asked incredulously while looking between the two of us.

"Laurent, this is my best friend Jacob. He's a wolf. If you try anything, I'll still kill you." I tried to laugh at the end while still being serious. I doubt Laurent would try anything, but I had to make the warning just in case.

"I've never…" He murmured to himself while looking at Jake once again. "I promise no harm to you." He spoke sincerely towards Jake and I believed him too.

"Are you sure I should go? It'd be for a few hours and then I would come home." I looked at Jake for advice, nervously biting my lip. He smiled and nodded.

"It wouldn't hurt for you to get more acquainted with your own stink." Jake's gruff laugh echoed in the small clearing. I stuck my tongue out at him playfully before motioning for Laurent to lead the way. In a flash, we were running towards Alaska.

* * *

It took about 6 or 7 hours to finally reach the Denali Coven household. I never realized quite how far away they truly lived. Their home was breathtaking and my mind instantly transported to Esme and her love of décor. It was a three story home with beautiful mahogany wood finish on the outside. The windows were a beautiful clear that revealed the exquisite designs on the inside of the home. I let out a breath to release my nerves as I followed Laurent into the home.

"I've brought a guest." Laurent said once we entered the living room. The beauty of the home took my breath away. There were large paintings hung on every wall. Some even looked like originals, which I would not question how they could end up with the Starry Night in their living room. In the matter of a few short seconds, 5 more vampires joined us in the room. I could remember hearing short stories about the Denali's, but meeting them was an entire different experience.

"Hello!" A woman with beautiful long dark brown hair and an olive skin tone said welcomingly. Her voice was tinted with a Spanish accent. This must be Carmen.

"You must be Bella." Another woman spoke. She had long, straight blonde hair that was the color of corn silk. Her golden eyes were a piercing almond shape as she smiled towards me. "I'm Kate." She extended her hand and I shook it. A growl came from the tall man standing next to Carmen.

"Seriously, Kate?" He asked with a disapproving tone in his voice. He also had an olive skin tone and a Spanish accent; Eleazar.

"I was just seeing if she was immune or not." Kate rolled her eyes towards Eleazar and smiled back towards me. "I'm electrifying. I have a shock ability and I was just testing it on you."

"Really? I didn't feel anything." I said in surprise. She sighed with a nod of her head.

"I had the impression that you were a shield, so I wanted to test the theory." Kate spoke like it was an everyday thing.

"A shield?" I questioned again, confusion lacing into my voice.

"This is Bella's first real interaction with her own kind. She's not accustomed to much of the terms. The Cullen's seemed to leave her in the dark about most of what happens after the transformation." Laurent explained before moving towards the woman I assumed to be Irina. She was fairly short with short hair to match, but her eyes were also very large and welcoming.

"Sorry if we've overwhelmed you." The last woman spoke; Tanya. She was extremely beautiful and made me think of Rosalie's beauty. Her strawberry blonde hair was long and pull back to reveal the defining features of her face.

"No, it's okay. I actually appreciate learning this stuff." I murmured with a small smile of my own. I was still pretty nervous and out of my element. I seemed to respond better around a bunch of wolves than my own kind.

"Anyways, a shield is exactly that. You have a protective layer around your mind that keeps you from being affected by any of gifts, physical or mental." Eleazar explained, talking with his hands as he did so.

"Edward was so pissed that he couldn't read your mind." Irina laughed and shook her head at whatever memory must have come to her. I felt my stomach clench at the thought of having to explain, but thankfully Laurent stepped in for me.

"The Cullen's left Bella behind, when she was still human. Edward decided he wasn't mated with her and the entire family left, most likely at his request. My old friend Victoria who was out for revenge against Edward found and changed Bella." Laurent said, frustration at the situation coming in clearly through his voice. The rest of the coven shared shock and sadness at the situation.

"I'm so sorry, Bella. That must have been so difficult for you to deal with." Kate apologized, with a sad sigh. I could hear the concern in her voice.

"It was." I murmured quietly while looking at the ground. "It still is." It was an extremely weird feeling to be this vulnerable with them, but my heart immediately trusted them.

"Don't worry about them too much, sweetie. They are wonderful people, but not everyone, even vampires, makes the best decisions." Carmen remarked before coming to give me a hug which I gladly returned. It was nice to feel so comfortable with a large group of people again.

"Let's sit and visit." Tanya suggested with a smile as we moved towards the plush couches they had in their living room.

It felt like I had known the Denali's forever as we spent the next couple of hours talking. I learned so much about vampirism and even about the laws to follow. I assumed some of the laws, but it was nice actually knowing the real ones. My mind felt so incredibly full with all the new knowledge I gained. My heart also felt full with the friendships and bonds I formed with the Denali's. It was nice knowing that I had somewhere else I could go if I wanted to. I sighed with content from the comfort of my bed. It finally felt like I was moving forward.

* * *

**Another chapter down! Yay!**

**This was a pretty fun chapter to write. I enjoyed the banter between Laurent and Bella. Things may not be full of action right now, but there is still some to come, so don't give up on it yet please!**

**What did you think of this chapter? Did you like it? I like the fact of Bella and the Denali Coven being friends, even without the Cullen's currently around. A lot of fanfictions I've read and even wrote always have Bella at odds with them, especially Tanya. I wanted to do something different. **

**I had a question for you guys! Breaking Dawn Part 2 was on TV tonight and I was wondering if anyone else STILL cries at the imaginary battle that takes place at the end? It gets me every time! Lol! I cry like a baby! **

**A note about the 6-7 hours it took for Bella and Laurent to get to Alaska; it's accurate. I'm trying to keep things pretty realistic and accurate. In The Official Guide to the Twilight Saga, Stephenie Meyer says that vampires usually travel at speeds over 100 miles, and to get the time, you divide distance from speed. Just so you know I'm not making up random numbers! But honestly, I could since it's my story, lol! **

**What's ahead: Bella wants to finish high school, but needs to get some money first! **

**I hope you guys are liking the story so far! Please review with any suggestions, comments, or ideas you have and I'll see what I can do! Sorry for the completely random Author's Note! Please indulge me! **

**Song: Away From The Sun by 3 Doors Down**

**Love,**

**GVE**


	7. 007

**Title: 007**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or the characters. They belong to Stephenie Meyer.**

* * *

**_If you ever find yourself stuck in the middle of the sea,_**  
**_I'll sail the world to find you_**  
**_If you ever find yourself lost in the dark and you can't see,_**  
**_I'll be the light to guide you_**

**_Find out what we're made of_**  
**_When we are called to help our friends in need_**

* * *

It had been a couple of weeks since my visit with Laurent and the Denali clan. I had been back up there a couple times since then. I really enjoyed hanging out with them. It reminded me a lot of spending time with the Cullen's, but in their unique way. The moving forward feeling I had vanished quickly after being home. I was still doing the same old thing with my life every single day. It wasn't much of a life. I thought about doing a lot of different things, but it usually ended up overwhelming me. One day I had talked to Jake about going back to high school to get my diploma and I realized that it was the biggest mistake I had made. After telling him that I had thought about doing that, Jake would not shut up about it. He was driving me crazy with his concern and hopes for happiness, but I still loved Jake for caring. It was a regular day until he had shown up with the same argument he had been spewing for the last week.

"Jake, don't be ridiculous." I muttered, rolling my eyes at my best friend. He gave me his lopsided wolfy grin and laughed.

"I'm not being ridiculous." He defended playfully. I rolled over onto my stomach on my bed to look at him. He sat in the desk chair a few feet away.

"Right… You're just downright insane now." He laughed even harder at my annoyed tone which left me trying to fight off my own smile.

"Going back to high school isn't that insane of an idea." Jake teased while coming to join me on the bed. I gave him a light shove.

"I'm 21 years old and thinking of enrolling in high school. That's pretty insane." I grumbled, coming to sit up with my legs crossed. I felt really pathetic, but I kept reminding myself that I didn't have much say in the matter.

"Bella, you still look 18. You'll always be 18 since you were changed at that age, right? Nobody is going to notice. Plus, it'd be nice if you had your diploma." Jake suggested with a smile. Why is a diploma so important?

"Why would it matter?" I groaned, seeing as he was not going to let me win this fight.

"Your education is important. You only have to go for one year and then you're done. It won't be that hard." He shrugged casually. I rolled my eyes. I hate it when he's right.

"We have a slight problem."

"What's that?" Jake asked, raising his eyebrows towards me.

"I can't exactly enroll back in high school as Bella Swan. Charlie will find out and it will bring up a bunch of stuff that we don't need. I told you what the Denali's said about the Volturi. I have to keep suspicion low." I explained, hopeful that it would be a good enough argument for Jake to drop the entire subject.

"I know a guy that can make you fake documents; birth certificate, social, I.D, and a high school transcript." Jake grinned once he saw my annoyed expression come back.

"When did you become a 007 all of a sudden?" I teased, pushing him again. Jake laughed and shrugged his shoulders.

"It was a kid's uncle that I went to high school with. He's into shady stuff." He explained like it was completely normal. I laughed and shook my head.

"Is that so, Robert Garfield?" I questioned him, holding back a smile. Jake looked shocked which caused me to laugh.

"I guess you found my fake I.D?" He laughed and shook his own head. Jake was definitely insane. I was absolutely positive of it.

"Yup. Give it a couple years and you won't need it." I smiled at Jake again and rolled over to my laptop. Sam had given me an extra one that his parents had. I was really grateful for it since I didn't have much to do at home. I pulled it open and went straight to Google. "Get your friend ready for business." Jake beamed and stood up from the bed.

"I will. I'll catch up with you later, Bells." He said, giving me a kiss on the top of my head before leaving for his patrol. I shook my head at my crazy best friend before returning to my search.

There is something I need before I can go back to school. It was going to start in a couple of months and I'd need to buy supplies and clothes that actually fit. The problem is that I still only had the 100 dollars that I had three years ago. I would need to find a way to make money and quickly. It's pretty impossible to get a job in town since my Dad thinks I'm 3500 miles away and people would recognize me.

I'd eventually have to figure out a job that I could do, but a quick cash fix sounded like the way to go now. I couldn't exactly get a loan since I didn't have any of my fake documents. My mind pondered over the ideas of what people did when they needed money quick. Becoming a stripper and selling drugs were quickly out of the picture. Suddenly, the best idea I had so far popped into my mind; Las Vegas.

My phone was in my hand instantly and dialing Jake's number.

"Bella, if you're calling because you changed your mind, I'm telling you that you aren't going to win this one." Jake started off as soon as he answered the phone.

"Would you shut up for a minute?" I growled playfully and he laughed. "I have a proposition for you."

"What is it?" Jake asked, his curiosity piking.

"Let's go to Vegas." I suggested anxiously, hoping that he wouldn't think it was a completely crazy idea. He better not at least. I indulge all of his insane ideas, so he could do me the favor in this one.

"Hell yeah!" Jake exclaimed excitedly. I couldn't stop the giant smile that spread across my face. Vegas had no idea what was coming for it.

* * *

**Hey guys!**

**I'm sorry this chapter is a little shorter than the others! I didn't have as much to put in it, but the chapter is going to be full of some Bella and Jake shenanagins! **

**I hope you guys are joking when you review and say update faster. I've posted a new chapter each night for the last three days. A lot of authors only post once a week or every other week. I don't feel the need to do that, but I could always switch to that. I just like posting when I have felt like writing and updating. I like reading all your reviews and like that you guys enjoy the story, so I update as often as I can! Hope you all understand that. :)**

**I hope you all are enjoying the story so far! Please review and let me know what you think! Love you guys so much!**

**Song: Count on Me by Bruno Mars**

**Love, **

**GVE**


	8. Sin City

**Title: Sin City**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or the characters. They belong to Stephenie Meyer**

* * *

**_All I do is win win win no matter what_**  
**_Got money on my mind I can never get enough_**  
**_And every time I step up in the buildin'_**  
**_Everybody hands go up_**  
**_And they stay there_**  
**_And they say yeah_**  
**_And they stay there_**  
**_Up down, up down, up down_**  
**_'Cause all I do is win win win_**

* * *

I smiled at the backpack that I had filled with clothes for our two nights in Vegas. I had worked out the details of our little trip and felt quite proud of myself. I had never done anything like this, so if it went successfully, I'd feel more affirmed. The anticipation leading up to it nearly killed me again, but it was finally here.

"You ready to leave?" Jake called from the living room of my house. I snatched up the backpack and was standing next to him in less than a second. He jumped slightly at my quick appearance and then laughed. "I'll take that as a yes."

"No need to wait any longer." I grinned as we began to leave out the back door. I had no clue if vampires were good at gambling, but I assumed that we would be given our heightened senses and dazzling presence. I nearly snorted at the idea of me being dazzling, but according to Jake, I got the job done.

It felt like the run down to Vegas passed by in a blur. It still impressed me that Jake was able to keep up with me for long periods of time. We only stopped for Jake to rest a couple of times. It was actually working in our favor since I needed the sun to be down by the time we arrived in Vegas. I just hoped he wouldn't be too tired since the fun was just about to begin.

We stopped on the outskirts of the city just as twilight was filling the sky. I could already see the illuminating life that was Las Vegas. It was like the Strip was the only things my eyes would focus on even from 30 miles out.

"Why are we at Lake Mead?" Jake questioned, eyeing me with suspicion. I laughed and shook my head towards him. Wasn't it obvious?

"You smell like a dirty wolf and I'm covered in dirt, leaves, and probably dead bugs. We're gonna sneak in and clean up before we try to appear normal in public." I explained, leading the way into the lake. There were a few pathetic fences that would definitely stop a human and a steep slide down a mountain waiting for us.

"You really do think of everything." Jake muttered with amusement as we dropped into the water. It held a chill, but it was nothing to someone with frozen skin.

"It's my job. All I really get to do is think." I sighed. Content came over me as I felt the muck being washed off of my body. We only took a couple minutes before racing to where we left the backpacks. We could easily evade humans if we were caught, but I'd rather keep the trip problem free, at least for Jake's sake. Sam would chew him out if he found out we stirred up more trouble than necessary.

"Sounds like its pretty boring." Jake admitted while he was drying off with the small towel he brought. I grabbed my own towel and did the same.

"It can be." I shrugged, swinging my hair around in circles, drying it as fast as I could. I was satisfied with its sexy shagginess and motioned for Jake to turn around. He did and I quickly pulled on my dress.

It was one of the few things that were left behind after Edward left. I'm pretty sure he forgot it existed since I pretended it never did. I snagged it in one of my lone trips to Charlie's in the middle of the night. Alice had bought it for me even though I complained about it. I never once wore it while I was human; I might have fainted if I did. It was a sexy red sequin dress that was perfect for Las Vegas. It fit me like a second layer of skin. The neckline plunged and ended a few inches above my belly button. A pair of black heels completed the outfit enough to my liking. If I was still human, there would be a blush covering my entire body.

"Can I turn around now?" Jake asked impatiently. I could tell he was ready to get going into the city. I gave him a "mhm" and he let out a low whistle when he looked me over. "Damn Bells. I'm going to have to fight off guys all night." He grumbled lightheartedly and shook his head.

"You clean up nice yourself." I teased, giving him a catcall in playing. Jake did look really nice. He had on a red satin shirt that I didn't even know he owned and a pair of black dress pants with matching shoes. We had matched on accident.

"You might have the telepathy thing too." Jake grinned when he noticed how well we matched. I shrugged with a smile and we made our way into Sin City.

Las Vegas was even more magnificent from up close. It felt like the marquee lights went on forever and ever as we strolled down the crowded streets. The smell that the city released was definitely one of the worst things I've ever smelled. It was even worse than the smell of the entire pack in one room. The city reeked of alcohol, drugs, sweat, and blood.

"I'm glad I didn't have this idea when I was a newborn." I muttered, my distain for the smell showing. Jake laughed and nodded.

"There wouldn't be a soul left." He shuddered at the thought as we continued towards our first casino; Caesar's Palace. It was already quite the adventure just walking down the street. We were getting stares and dirty compliments from both men and women. I felt like I'd have to wash my ears clean to get some of the vulgar stuff that was said out of my brain.

I was incredibly thankful that our fake got us into the casino without a single problem or questioning glance. It may have been the dazzling thing that helped out on top of it as well. Caesar's Palace was incredible. My ears were flooded with the sounds of people chatting, screaming in joy or anger, laughing, and lots of dirty comments. The sounds of machines ringing and spinning filled them as well. Music was playing, but it wasn't the thumping kind of loud that I expected. It blended into the rest of the background noise. The repulsive scent was even stronger inside, but none of it mattered once I saw the gambling taking place.

"Ready?" I asked, looking over to Jake with an excited smile. His expression matched my own as we rushed over towards the Blackjack table. The way we ended up sitting reminded me of every Las Vegas casino movie scene I had ever seen. I sat in the chair with Jake standing protectively next to me, his arm firmly around my shoulder. I'd have to tell him about this cliché later since the dealer looked at me with lust filled eyes.

"Hey there pretty lady. We're startin' a new round. You want in?" The dealer looked like an older washed up version of Mike Newton. I nodded and slid one of my five twenty dollar bills towards him. He took it and gave me three red chips ($5 each) and five white chips ($1 each). I scanned the table too quickly for anyone to notice. There were 5 other players and the shoe was full. Casinos used a shoe to make card counting much harder, but it was nothing for my vision. I counted 364 cards which meant there were 7 decks inside the shoe.

I put a five dollar chip in my bet box as the dealer dealt two cards to all of us, face up. My mind went wild as I looked at all of the cards he dealt and counted them. I had no idea how my brain was doing what it was, but I let go of the control I held onto and went with it. "Hit." I murmured when it came to me, leaving a 9, 10, and 2 facing up; Blackjack. The dealer smirked as I bounced with excitement.

"Way to go babe!" Jake beamed, rubbing my shoulders supportively. I resisted the urge to look up at him with a glare for the babe comment. I understood he was just trying to scare other guys off, but it still felt really weird. It brought mixed emotions to my heart of when I was with Edward and a slow spreading ache started creeping in. It still hurt to even think his name aloud, but it was something I forced myself to do. I couldn't ignore it forever, but it seemed like the pain was going to be around for eternity. I ignored it as best as I could and focused my mind on the game.

By the time we had left the Blackjack table, I had already doubled our money. $200 dollars' worth of chips didn't seem like much, but it was a start. I tried to seem as inconspicuous as possible and even made sure to lose a few rounds. Jake had spent some money on the slot machines and won big. He hit a jackpot of $5,000. That amount of money was incredible to me. It brought my thoughts back to the Cullens and I shivered thinking about how much money they truly had. I pushed them to the back of my mind as we made our way through the other game tables. By the time we had been to all of them, our total was a comfortable $15,000.

"I want to try the slots again." Jake grinned, slightly feeling the effects from the alcohol he had consumed. I warned him against it, but who was I to stop his fun? Plus, I'm more than capable of taking care of myself. At least that's what I kept telling myself. We headed back to the ringing and loud slots and Jake took a seat at one. I stood next to him, watching as he enjoyed himself playing.

A sudden grab on my behind had me turned around much too fast for a human. A drunken man looked shocked at my sudden movements. He reeked of booze and smelled like cigarettes. He seemed like he was in his 40's. I glared at him and he cowered. Not so bold now.

"What the hell…" I growled while feeling increasingly repulsed by his presence. He stammered nervously for a second before backing up. I grabbed his wrist a little harder than I should have been able to for a 'human.'

"Please m-miss! Let me go." He stammered, looking fearfully between my eyes and his wrist. I didn't need to look into a mirror to know that my eyes were pitch black from the incredibly powerful rush of rage that I felt.

"Bells, let him go." Jake said firmly, pulling my arm off of the man. I growled at him in response and turned back to the man. "You need to leave." Jake told the man, shoving him roughly in the opposite direction. The man scrambled to get his balance and took off running as fast as he could. I glared towards Jake.

"I was handling it." I snarled angrily. Jake sighed and rolled his eyes, clearly not amused with my anger.

"You were being stupid. I don't know what the hell your problem is." He returned my glare before shaking his head softly. He placed his warm hands on my shoulders which I immediately shook them off.

"Just leave me alone." I grumbled, stalking off towards the lounge area. The area was much calmer which helped me to get ahold of myself. I tossed myself into one of the deep chaise chairs. I felt like I was falling apart at the seams. I had no idea why I felt so much rage right now. It made me feel disgusted knowing that I almost hurt that man and blew our cover. I also felt extremely bad for snapping at Jake. I dropped my head into my hands and began to breathe deeply, trying to calm down. A few minutes later I felt Jake's heated presence next to me.

"Is it okay if I sit?" He asked cautiously, the anger out of his voice now too. I nodded without looking up. I didn't want to see the disappointment in his eyes. "Look at me, Bella." Jake pleaded, taking a hand from my head and holding it in his hands. I sighed in defeat and looked into his eyes. There was no trace of disappointment, only concern filled them.

"I'm sorry for freaking out like that. I don't know what happened." I murmured softly. Jake gently brushed my hair behind my ear and cupped my cheek with his blazing palm.

"I'm sorry too. I never doubted your ability to handle it, but you were scaring me." He said after letting out a deep breath. "You looked like you were going to break his neck."

"I honestly might have." I admitted in shame. I had no idea what happened back there and it sent fear straight to my core. "I don't know where all that rage came from. I couldn't focus my thoughts. I felt like I was spiraling out of control. I'm sorry for scaring you." I leaned into the comfort of his hand on my cheek and inhaled deeply. The stink of his wolf side helped clear my head even more. "That's what terrifies me; knowing that I have so much power that I could end so many lives in just a few seconds. I hate feeling out of control like that. I don't want to become a monster."

"I promise that I will never let you become a monster." Jake whispered, resting his forehead against mine. "You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think." I looked into his eyes and felt overwhelmed with the love I had for my best friend. I'm sure I'd melt into a puddle if I didn't have him to hold me together.

"Thank you Jake." I murmured, squeezing his hand lightly. He returned my squeeze and began to smirk.

"You ought to thank Winnie the Pooh, it's his quote." He chuckled which brought a grin to my face.

"Is that how you're such a ladies man? You quote Winnie the Pooh to them?" I teased, giving him a light shove. He snorted and nodded proudly.

"Yep! They go weak at the knees every time." He winked and I laughed again.

"Make sure to catch me if I start falling for you." I said playfully through my laughter. Jake suddenly swung me up into his arms.

"I won't let you fall." He promised. I could hear the second meaning to his words outside of our playfulness and I was grateful for him. To anyone else, we must seem like a couple that's so in love right now especially since we share real and intimate moments with each other so openly. But, to us, it's just the friendship we will always have. It's the love that was always meant to be Jake and Bella. He's always going to be my sun and I'll be his moon. Our friendship would always be in orbit, just like the moon chases after the sun every night and the sun bids good morning to the fading moon.

"Let's get to another casino. We might have overdone it here." I said with a smile. Just like that, the earlier incident was erased and we were off to gather more money and memories.

* * *

Sam greeted us as we crossed over the treaty line. It was his patrol tonight and I was glad to see his smile.

"So, how'd you two shitheads do?" He asked with a grin as he approached us. Jake and I shared a smirk before opening Jake's backpack.

"50,000 is a good start." I shrugged. Sam's eyes went wide at the amount of money shoved into one bag.

"Did you rob a bank?" He questioned with doubt filling his voice. Jake and I both laughed.

"Don't bet against vampires." Jake said with praise towards me. I grinned proudly.

"You said it was a good start. You plan on going back?" Sam asked as we started walking towards the houses.

"Forever is a long time."

"Sure is." Sam said with a laugh before we parted ways. I'm glad that Jake and I made an agreement about the money and how'd we use it. He was gracious enough to let me have most of it since I promised to win him even more next time. It felt crazy that life was just about to start for me, even though it had ended once. Oakridge High School had no idea what was going to hit it in the fall.

* * *

**Ta-Da!**

**This chapter was super fun to write! I'm sorry for not updating in a few days. I was struggling to find the motivation to actually sit down and write, but I'm glad that I forced myself to because I really like the way this chapter came out! **

**Please leave some love! I really appreciate and love reading your reviews! They make my day and bring smiles to my face! I love hearing what you think about my story, my writing, and what you predict will happen next!**

**Song: All I Do is Win by DJ Khaled**

**Love,**

**GVE**


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